²⁴ “‘You will make yourselves unclean by these;^(A) whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening.^(B)

⁷ But if we walk in the light,^(A) as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all^[a] sin.^(B)

²⁶ Otherwise Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world.^(A) But he has appeared^(B) once for all^(C) at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.^(D)

²⁰ Since you died with Christ^(A) to the elemental spiritual forces of this world,^(B) why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules:^(C)

Freedom From Human Rules

¹⁶ Therefore do not let anyone judge you^(A) by what you eat or drink,^(B) or with regard to a religious festival,^(C) a New Moon celebration^(D) or a Sabbath day.^{(E) 17} These are a shadow of the things that were to come;^(F) the reality, however, is found in Christ.

¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness,^(A) but rather expose them.

Made Alive in Christ

2 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,^{(A) 2} in which you used to live^(B) when you followed the ways of this world^(C) and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,^(D) the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.^{(E) 3} All of us also lived among them at one time,^(F) gratifying the cravings of our flesh^[a](G) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.

¹⁷ Therefore,

³³ Do not be misled:^(A) “Bad company corrupts good character.”^[a](B)